Taking a Hit
by NinjaNovelist
Summary: He's always been taking a hit for her. Zutara oneshot. Pairing or friendship, depending on how you look at it.


**Disclaimer: I'll own Avatar when I learn how to earthbend. And how cool would that be?!**

He's always been taking a hit for her.

The first time, it had been quite literally. In order to protect her best friend, vulnerable as he was while crossing into the Spirit World, he had found himself knocked to the ground more than a few times.

Back then, he had been foolish enough to retaliate, even succeeding in stealing his prize right out from under her. But if there's one thing he learned about this girl it's that if you dare cross her, you will pay dearly.

And pay he did. For the second time was when they were deep in the heart of the impenetrable city, not as enemies, but fellow prisoners. She had verbally lashed out at him, accusing him of things that if she had taken the time to look closer, she would've seen that they were no longer true.

But he had learned his lesson, so he said nothing.

Eventually, taking the submissive route did indeed benefit him. He was shocked to find how easily a few gentle words, things he was not accustomed to using, could get through to her. She lowered her defenses, and it would eternally shame him that he turned right around and betrayed their newborn friendship within minutes.

When he finally realized his mistake, it was almost too late. He began his journey on the right path by joining with the Avatar, but he soon found it was a difficult path to take. Yet one by one the members of the group gave him their trust, all except one.

For weeks the only time she paid him any mind was to sneak in any cutting remark of him she could. It was as if she was looking for a fight, waiting for him to slip up, yet he refused to give in.

The one time he did try to defend himself, he was quickly reminded of why he had remained quiet all that time before. Every last drop of her bottled anger spewed forth at him that night, an icy cold more frigid than her water whips.

But he took the hit, knowing full well that her hatred was not entirely directed at him. It was geared toward his entire race, a ruthless fire spreading throughout the world and destroying everything in its path. She herself had been burned by it, and it was the one wound that she could never heal.

He needed to regain his honor, a duty not unfamiliar to him. Yet somehow, redeeming himself for this one girl meant more to him than doing so for his whole nation, for his family, had ever been.

Bit by bit he reassembled their shattered bond, helping to mend the scar his people had given her. Yet he still sensed that she possessed a miniscule amount of discomfort with him. She had forgiven him, but not quite forgotten.

That was before the final, and most powerful, hit had been released. That was before the two of them had gone to challenge his conniving sister for the throne. That was before he threw himself between her and the princess' infamously deadly lightning bolts.

It was another physical hit, yet this was so much more. All the others had been passive, just him enduring the blows of her rage. This time, he stepped in and willingly volunteered to accept the rage, not from her, but for her.

And that still wasn't enough for him. All he had done was unleash the full fury of his sister onto her. If he could, he would've reached out and plucked her up from the terrible danger she was in...

But he needn't have worried so. The "Water Tribe peasant", as he had often cruelly dubbed her during their time as foes, was fully capable of taking on, and defeating, the Fire Princess.

The battle had ended for barely a moment when she raced back to her savior, eyes full of nothing but compassion for him. Not for the Avatar, not for her brother, not for the blind earthbender. For the very first time, it was all for him.

She began to heal him, as he knew she would. And to his dying day he will wonder if, had he not learned of her special ability, he would have still been brave enough to sacrifice himself for her. But a small part of him understood that he would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

He's always been taking a hit for her.

And he always will.


End file.
